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My 2018 Prius Three is draining gas FAST

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Fuel Economy' started by Chime, Aug 31, 2018.

  1. mudworm

    mudworm Member

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    I don't mean to dismiss your own feeling about this situation, but I honestly do not understand the stress spawned from it. I'm confident that there is a lot of safety room built in for the auto shutoff, and even with repeated top off's, the pumps are built in such a way that there is no way to overflow the tank. For that reason, there is no safety hazard.

    It is true that you'll pay a slightly bigger bill for that top off, but it goes into your mileage, extend your next fillup. In the long run, it all balances out as pointed out above, even for the calculation of your MPG. I'm in CA and I often times see people repeatedly top off their own tanks. I figure that they really want to reduce their number of fill ups. There is nothing wrong, but I personally do not have the patience to fight with that auto shut off. Maybe the pump workers have learned that most people operate that way (prefer top off) and sometimes it's autopilot for them when pumping gas so their behavior doesn't change despite your "warning." Still, in the end, no harm is done, right?

    Interesting. I did not find her responses vague at all, esp. regarding the latest updates. Well, in any case, she does not owe the forum any response or updates. While many people are curious (and in my case concerned) about the situation , she's not obligated to come back and provide any updates, vague or not. While I'm sure many veterans here are quite attached to the forum, a new member does not share that attachment, and can be easily turned away because of judgmental or annoying replies. That's just the way it is.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that is his choice. many specific questions were asked after his first post, and he has blithely overlooked most of them.
    so after almost 2 weeks, we still do not know for sure how many miles he has travelled using how many gallons.
     
  3. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    No harm is done?
    I'm not sure.
    Everything I read says that modern vehicles are equipped with a charcoal cannister designed to control gas vapor, and that overfills can contaminate this system potentially leading to problems in the future. So not sure it's no harm done.
    Also there is actually a law in Oregon, attendants are NOT suppose of top off.
    And furthermore from what I've read, gasoline pumps can have vapor recovery systems that do prevent overfills. But from what I have read, once your tank is full, any further gas that gets pumped...that you are paying for, can be gasoline actually simply being fed back into the pumps storage tank...not your vehicles.
    In short? Given all that? I would much prefer that they simply stop pumping, when the pump stops. I've never had the gauge on any vehicle read less than totally filled when following this protocol.
     
  4. RoadNoise

    RoadNoise Active Member

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    Great idea about the sticker. Here in the South we'd add a "Please" to that "Do Not Top Off" :D.

    Was in Portland a few years ago and needed to gas up. Didn't know I couldn't fill my own tank until the attendant stepped in. The experience felt just as awkward as the first time I had to use a self-serve pump. He didn't even offer to check my oil or clean my windshield. And air was a dollar!:sick:;)
     
  5. Chime

    Chime New Member

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    The Odo reading I gave was before I fueled up yesterday. I wrote down all the miles, TripA and everything before I fueled up and pulled off from the gas station. As far as topping off, it didn't top off the tank, I let the pump run until it stopped and went inside to get the receipt afterwards. I don't think or know if theres any other answers I can give right now since for now the dealership just told me to drive it around til the next fill point and record everything I find off about the car. Theyre particularly curious about the gas meter ticking off during EV driving and no A/C running. So I'm probably going to get a buddy to ride along with me a few times and actually record this happening on my dash to show the dealership. The dealership may also want to test drive and so on after that point and try and see whats happening with the car. But all I can do is gather all my info until however long it takes to run this tank dry again.
     
  6. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    So just to clarify what you recorded yesterday.
    Was Trip A reset when you last filled (3rd: $21.17 fill) the tank or some time after?
    When you first reported to this thread with 427 miles of driving, was that ODO reading right after the last fill-up (3rd: $21.17 fill)?

    TripA: 376.9 Miles
    Avg MPG TripA: 52.5
    Odo: 927.2 Miles
     
    #246 Salamander_King, Sep 12, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2018
  7. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Well that is most of the problem getting good answers here.......and at the dealership.

    She CONTINUES to provide all kinds of data that is meaningless and does NOT supply the two simple figures that are important.

    FILL the tank.
    Reset a trip meter.
    Drive until it needs gas.
    Fill tank.
    Note mileage on trip meter.
    Divide miles driven by gallons put in to get miles-per-gallon.
    Keep records ongoing.

    That's it. NONE of those other things matter.
    NONE OF THEM.

    And if you think it sounds like I'm annoyed, you are right.
     
  8. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    WOW - I thought Attendants went out decades ago. I remember filling the tank for my newly widowed Mother-In-Law at least 15-20 years ago. She'd never filled a tank - when younger had Service Station Attendants, then husband to do it.

    Many of our Service Stations have only one staff member - to collect payments.
     
  9. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I can't find my FIESTA manual which would overflow if filled past the first click, but the previous car, a FOCUS said:
    upload_2018-9-13_9-35-1.png

    PRIUS says:
    upload_2018-9-13_9-37-9.png

    Sometimes it's tempting to squeeze a few more litres if the fuel price is very low and you know it's about to go up - but I resist.
     
  10. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    In 48 states, they did. But Oregon and New Jersey prohibited self-serve.
     
    #250 fuzzy1, Sep 12, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2018
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  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i round up to the nearest nickel, dime or quarter
     
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    jersey always costs me an extra fiver tip.
     
  13. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Sounds good - having a full tank, when you refill in a week or so, you'll have an accurate idea of what's going on. And having the dealership interested is good.

    With fuel gauges, they're not totally accurate - they read a level of fuel. So, parked in the same place every morning, you should get a comparable reading, not so necessarily when driving. If the terrain is fairly level, modern ones won't fluctuate much. But some will fluctuate going up/down hills, or on a series of sharp corners. Back in the "olden days", they could fluctuate by ΒΌ of a tank between down and up hills.
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    clarification would be welcome. it must be a 'lost in translation' thing.
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    post number two hundred and fifty five
     
  16. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Not necessarily:
    (1) Modern evaporative emission control systems specifically warn against overfilling, due to damage risk for a certain component;
    (2) Topping off is very specifically outlawed in his state;
    (3) Even a Prius can overflow, BTDT on my very own Prius more than once when trying to add just a bit more for an immediate very long trip segment. Doing this should be my own choice, not imposed with permission by a third party with no financial skin in the matter;
    (4) I've seen several vehicles dripping fuel out the cap when parked on a tilt and heating in the sun, expanding the fuel in the tank. Yes, these were older farm pickups, but newer vehicles can still be put into similar conditions.
    I think it is time for a video recording of them doing such, and filing a complaint with local police and/or the state AG's office.

    If this is an issue, then at minimum, I'd demand that all the extra top-off fuel be free, no charge, as compensation for possible vapor canister damage. If they put up a fuss, tell them that the legal case for their violation will cost them far more than the fuel you won't pay for.
     
    #256 fuzzy1, Sep 12, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2018
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    did you get a pm reply?
     
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    any answer to this in the last ten days?
     
  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    moi?
     
  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    not gonna happen
     
    Raytheeagle likes this.